Job Roll Call

[Carolyn]

Woo-hoo, crankody got a job, even if she posted it under the Health and Fitness section so nobody may see it. Contragulations, crankody.

So now approaching the three year anniversary of this board, let's see if I can remember how at least the regular posters among us are doing.

Leslie - student
Sabeine - had job, now full-time student
Pam - has job in laundry
me - started an internet business
cake guru - has her own cake business
debbie - school teacher
bonnie - school teacher
crankody - undersjurteska (probably spelled that wrong)
Sandy - data specialist

Anybody I'm forgetting that has found employment or is in higher education (not counting SFI)?

God, edited to add Sandy, how could I forget

[crankody]

yeh i spell it wrong all the time too.
i am working but have applied with the gothenberg univ. for a course in Scand. history. I figure if i have to send the rest of my life here i may as well learn the history. and it does sound really interesting anyway.

[Sandy]

It's okay...

[angiebaby]

*hang head* .....sfi only.

Seriously wondering about starting some sort of home business or internet business. But do you have to have licenses and etc etc if you run a home business? I've been playing on various ideas ---

--fast Asian/Indian food delivery for offices/kiosk.
Meals on wheels, easy to eat, warm and delivered on time.

-- Asian style pizza. My sister and I used to experiement with pizza sauce using Asian ingredients which were really really good. She even made her own pizza base and did everything from scratch. If I can remember the recipes...LOL
Í've been toying with a home business or selling the sauces to the pizza places or supermarkets etc.

What do you girls think? Im looking for a low cost, low maintenance and low over head business to build.

[Carolyn]

Don't hang your head about SFI, most of us started off here the same way, it's the only thing to do and you just bite the bullet and get through it as quick as you can.

Once you have passed SFI, you can actually qualify for small business loans and grants, although I believe you do have to have your permanent residency first, but I'm not 100 percent sure on that.

I don't know about offices, but I do know that food delivered might be a good way to go. The Swedes seem to especially enjoy all sorts of good Asian food, and you're also located in the Stockholm area, which is a plus. I do know that we just got a flyer here the other day offering Asian food delivered straight to the house hot, and the prices seem quite reasonable. We haven't tried it yet, but will certainly give it a shot soon, especially now with fall here.

Despite what people tell you, you do NOT need to go through a 2-year course to do food related businesses, although you are going to have to have a place to prepare the food other than your home kitchen. Drop cake guru here on this site a PM and maybe she'll have time to write you a note or, better still, post some basics for the rest of us too. She has her own custom cake and pastry business down in Malmo (and incredibly good cakes, I might add).

I do think that with us being immigrants and not having full command of the language, that really, trying to find ways of starting our own businesses is definitely a way to go.

You will need, at a minimum, to register with Skattemyndigheten as a "sole proprietor" (egen företagare in Swedish). YOu will also need to be a whiz (or live with one) in maths and accounting, who can help you find your way through the paperwork (tons) and keep your records and finances straight.

Arbetesformedlingen does provide courses for starting your own business, but one of the main prerequisites with them is your SFI betyg (certificate) so study hard!

If you are going to have a business such as you described, food related, it would also be wise to register your company name in Stockholm. I don't know the ins and outs of this, since the business I started, I am working for and will continue to work for one company in the States and don't need to worry about building a rep and having my business name then stolen out from under me.

Anybody else have any good ideas on this?

[Kitty Sue]

I still have my cleaning job (can't believe I have been there 2 1/2 years already), at least for a couple more months. Then the resource centre I work at is closing down. No idea what I am going to do next. *smile*

[SlyandKami]

Car sales for our town VW and Audi dealership when I'm finished with S.A.S. in May if I don't find something better.

[Carolyn]

Well, it seems to me that on THIS site at least, a good 80% or higher of our regular, active people have managed to find themselves jobs within 3 years of living in Sweden. Maybe not the job of your dreams for the type of salary you had in the States, but you've become a contributing member of the society you're living in, and I think that's pretty damned good.

If I'm recalling right, Heather in Borlange is also on an undersjorteska course and quite close to becoming employed, and I know SteveH who comes here fairly regularly is not only doing freelance work, but is busy translating a Swedish poet into English and has had some VERY positive response from the poet in question regarding his translations.

Oh yeah, Maya up north is not only going to school, but working part-time in a restaurant as well, which definitely improves the Swedish, I should think.

Good work, folks! Attitude and persistence count for a LOT.

[SteveH]

OK, Carolyn, you lured me out of lurking. First of all, welcome back! Hope to see you soon, too (sent a reply yesterday to your email). Regarding jobs: I'm still freelancing as a business copywriter for a software co. in Stockholm. It's up and down, since it's not a regular, permanent job, but it's enough to put sill and Falukorv on the table. Knäckebröd once in a while, too.

I had an interview a week ago for a permanent, fulltime job as a technical writer, which is my real profession. It went well, and I'm hoping for a callback interview soon. I'm still translating on my own and am about ready to send a manuscript to the Swedish writer whose work I've been translating since March or so.

To all those who are looking for a job, I say 'Lycka till!' Sometimes, you have to create your own opportunity, even if it looks impossible--and a little luck and asking around doesn't hurt either. I found freelance work through a website acquaintance who became a friend, who turned out to be an employee of the company where I landed freelance work.

[angiebaby]

Thanks for the encouragement Carolyn. I tried out the pizza today though. i think I have to work on the crust but the pizza flavour was pretty good for someone who hasn't done it for nearly 10 years or more. Don't take my head hanging negatively though, all I meant was that you said...."except SFI"!!
I'm actually looking forward to it. It will be interesting to meet other people and going back to school after years of working....sounds nice!

[Sandy]

Steve,

Good news!! I'll be holding my thumbs and crossing my fingers for you, not an easy task, I might add!

[Carolyn]

Angie, I think if you go back to the main Positively Sweden home page and click on the Food section, I believe I put a pizza crust recipe there that I've used for several years. It's tasty, easy and ALWAYS turns out.

ACK, I went there and it isn't there!!! See the recipes section here.

[SteveH]

Hey Sandy! Thanks for the good wishes. Now, you do know that it's easier to hålla tummarna and cross fingers if one lets go of the can(s) of Leinenkugel first . . . doncha? I haven't been back to the Vietnamese place, either, but it's on my list for a callback visit. Take care! S.

[Cake Guru]

Steve my friend!!!! WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO MALMÖ?

[Natooke]

I've been working for the last 6 months at our local eatery (Wärdshus) ... it's ideal for me , as I'm home in the mornings to see the kids off to school ... do some housework & be there by 10am ... I'm working until 2 or 3 pm ... everyday ;D & still have time for the kids ;D
My boss is such a great person & my co-worker is great ... this makes the job even more pleasurable